“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, Blair. You fucked my dad? What, to get back at me because I didn’t want to be with you? How pathetic.”
Dax puts his fork down and his brows furrow as he looks at the table.
“It wasn’t like that, Dax,” I say.
“It wasn’t?” he asks. His hands clenched into fists on the table.
“I mean, it started out that way, but that’s why I’m here. I thought it would be easier for Ryan to forget me so that way everything would be fine.”
“Wait, make me forget? How does someone use food to make someone forget something?”
“That’s not the point, I want to be with Dax. That’s why I’m here to make things right,” I say. I watch as Dax looks down at the table, I can almost feel the disappointment looming off of him.
“You’re nothing but a bitch who does things that are in your best interest,” Ryan says.
“Don’t call her a bitch,” Dax growls.
“So that’s it then. You choose her? You couldn’t be a good parent to me my whole life and now you come back saying you want a relationship and then my ex-girlfriend seduces you, and now you’re ditching me?”
“No, just don’t call her a bitch,” Dax says, raking his hand through his dark hair. I see how conflicted he is. How I caused this. How I made more problems for him. He was trying to be better, more than a demon. He wanted this relationship with his son and I’ve gone and fucked it up.
Dax looks at his son pleadingly. And I can’t take the look on his face.
“Dax, tell your son everything. I’m so sorry that I put you in this position. Ryan, you need to know that he didn’t know we dated before we started things. That doesn’t change the fact that we have feelings for each other. I’d like to make this right.” I look at Ryan pleadingly. I hate this asshole, but I’d be willing to make a deal with the devil to keep Dax.
“No, fuck this. Choose,” Ryan says and my heart sinks. Dax looks destroyed as he looks between us.
I make the decision for him. “Talk to your son, Dax. I’m so sorry.”
“Blair…” Dax starts.
“It’s okay, Dax. You know where to find me. Make things right with Ryan.”
“You’re going right home, right?” Dax asks, still concerned for my safety. My heart aches, and I nod while holding back tears.
“This is just fucking rich,” Ryan says, and I try to stop my eye roll. Clover groans on the ground, and Ryan helps her sit up.
“Can we go somewhere more private to discuss some things?” Dax asks Ryan, and I force a smile as I turn on my heel and leave Lucia’s. Unshed tears fill my eyes as I walk out the front door. I still have hope that we can fix this, but I don’t see how thanks to the position my selfishness has put us all in.
I hear Ryan agree to talking with Dax, but that he needs to take Clover home first. Clearly I should have hit her with the frying pan just a little harder.
The bang of the heavy wooden door clears my thoughts as does the fresh air. Fall is right around the corner and the air feels cooler and dewy against my skin. As I look up, a handsome man with blonde hair and bright blue eyes wearing a dark black coat approaches me. “Are you Blair Bellamy?” he asks.
“Who’s asking?” I reply.
Someone stealthily approaches me from behind, placing heavy iron shackles around my wrists. “Blair Bellamy, you are under arrest for the kidnapping and attempted poisoning of Clover Simmons as well as attempted interference with anexsul’s memory. You will be brought in front of the council in approximately three hours.”
It’s the last voice I hear before everything goes to black and all rational thoughts escape me.
Chapter 28
Myeyelidsareheavyas I blink rapidly a few times. I go to move my hand to rub my eyes but cold heavy iron shackles prevent me from being able to reach my front. They clank as they fall back to the ground. My arms are sore from being bound behind me, and I groan, taking in the appearance of my cell.
Classic witch bullshit, all flare, no class. I’m in what I would consider a dungeon. There’s cold cobblestone flooring; it feels wet and musty down here. There’s a mattress that isn’t fit for any human to lie on in the corner, and a basin right next to it. There’s a trickle of fluid that drips against the cobblestone, and I shut my eyes just listening to the rhythmic patter of water splashing against the stone.Drip, drip, drip.
I’ve really gone and royally fucked everything up. Who isn’t mad at me at this point? Fez is really the only person I can think of, and he isn’t a person at all. At this moment, sitting in this cold, dreary space, I feel more alone than I ever have in my life, and that’s saying something. My stubbornness and selfishness has landed me in my worst fear: Irrevocably and depressingly alone.
I should be more upset about the fact that I’m about to be set forth in front of the council and whatever punishment they dish out. The fact is, I probably deserve it. Magic has checks and balances and I’ve been teetering on the edge for too long. Acting like I’m better than everyone else because my mother and coven scorned me. I’ve used my trauma to justify my behaviors, and realizing that makes my stomach churn. I didn’t think that there would be a day where retribution didn’t drive me, but I don’t know what could motivate me. My self-reflection has tears dripping down my face. I stop the waterworks quickly and have to use my shoulder to wipe the tears away.
